Backgammon
Reviews Interton Summary C+VG Issue 6 Two traditional board game favourites have been given a new lease of life through the video medium. Checkers and backgammon have been transferred to the television set via the Interton VC4000 Video Computer system, for enthusiasts who cannot always find human opponents to play against. Both are easy boards for the computer to display and combined simple rules with plenty of scope for tactical play so the computer makes a worthwhile opponent, even it if it will have a tendency to play safe. Checkers or draughts as it is commonly known, is displayed as a board and pieces and there is no deviation from the traditional rules. You can play either black or white — black goes first — and then try to out-think your computer opponent. Be wary of the computer if it appears to be offering up a sacrifice — it probably has something nasty planned for you. As usual the opening strategy determines who ends up with the most kings and that is the player who will usually win the game. Backgammon too keeps to the traditional rules but without the gambling element, it is not as skilful) as the original. It will, however, help to sharpen up the players' skill at outmanoeuvring an opponent on the board. And it will teach beginners the folly of leaving an exposed piece in a vulnerable position. For those of you who have never played the game, it involves moving counters around the board in the opposite direction to your opponent and trying to get yours home first — but if a counter is left alone it can be captured by your opponent and returned to start. These cartridges are available from retailers in the U.K. from specialist dealers and some large department stores. The retail price is £16.95. Bug-Byte Summary Your Computer Issue 12 Writer: Eric Deeson Backgammon — 6K and 1K at £7 — comes first, if only because the company claims to be giving half of that price to charity. If leukaemia research is getting £3.50 from each sale, what is Bug-Byte's usual profit margin? This program is an adequate implementation of the standard game, with a clear board and fairly fast response time. VIC Computing Issue 7 Writer: J.D. Collins ‘Vic Gammon', cassette, from Bug Byte. This made use of my extra 3K memory. Though the game is good enough to knock the spots off a beginner like me, the graphics aren't great. Keith Archer Summary Your Computer Issue 14 Writer: Boris Allan Backgammon from Keith Archer worked well enough but was easy to beat and again vulnerable to cheating. There was nothing to prevent you putting more than five counters on a point for instance. Verdict Reasonable, but not very intelligent. Psion Summary Popular Computing Weekly Issue 17 Writer: TB Backgammon (£5.95) is the only program I know of which plays my favourite board-game, and so was a must when I saw it advertised some months ago. It has since undergone a tidying-up operation, with response times being made faster. Like all Psion programs it has great visual appeal. Below the board in the accompanying illustration are the dice and between them a box which shows the moves made by computer and human opponent. On the bar you can see the doubling cube, which the program is intelligent enough to offer at the right moment. While the program will execute all the recognised openings. I am a little worried at its tendency to blot with its back men after only two or three throws, which leads to a game of boring attrition. This happens, in my experience, once every four or five games, but it is easy to break the game, and start again. All in all, however, a very good program, and a very rewarding one. Atari Publisher: Atari Non-Scoring Reviews Features Spectrum Category:Atom Games Category:Interton VC4000 Games Category:Spectrum Games Category:ZX81 Games Category:VIC-20 Games Category:Bug-Byte Category:Interton Category:C+VG Reviews Category:Psion Computers Category:Sinclair Research Category:Your Computer Reviews Category:Popular Computing Weekly Reviews Category:Keith Archer Category:Voltmace Database Games Category:Voltmace Category:TV Gamer Reviews Category:Atari 2600 Games Category:Atari Category:VIC Computing Reviews